Phillies score 5 runs in 13th, beat Braves 6-1

Atlanta Braves Jason Heyward, left, is tagged out attempting to steal second base by Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, right, in the third inning of a baseball game Monday, June 16, 2014, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)

Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Ben Revere (2) and right fielder Marlon Byrd (3) celebrate the victory in the thirteenth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Monday, June 16, 2014, in Atlanta. The Phillies won 6-1 in extra innings. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)

Unfortunately for the hottest pitcher in baseball, his seven shutout innings seemed half a day away by the time the offense awoke and atoned for a blown save.

After foiling a few Braves rally attempts, in the top of the 13th the Phillies used a Freddie Freeman error on a scorched two-hopper from Ryan Howard’s bat to release the floodgates, bat around and open their seven-game road trip with a 6-1 victory at Turner Field, as they crept improbably closer to the N.L. East leaders.

Howard, who launched a solo homer to center in the second inning, brought Ben Revere home from third with the grounder. The game got out of hand as Marlon Byrd followed with an RBI single, Carlos Ruiz added a sacrifice fly and Reid Brignac, who has been hitting his way into sticking with the team, mashed a two-run triple for his third hit of the night.

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It could’ve ended much sooner.

The Phillies were three outs away from giving Hamels a 1-0 victory, but closer Jonathan Papelbon, who had put away 15 straight save opportunities after botching his first chance this season, was having control problems from the moment he took the ball in the bottom of the ninth. Three singles later, the last by Andrelton Simmons, and the game was tied and venturing into extra innings.

That the Phils survived the 10th was miraculous in itself.

The trouble started when Domonic Brown made one of the biggest butcheries by an outfielder in recent memory on a one-out drive by Freddie Freeman to left. Brown, whose fielding this season has been suspect, got to the wall and seemed to have his 6-5 frame parked under it. However, he somehow whiffed when he reached up to snag the ball, then compounded the clownery by either ignoring or not being aware that the ball caromed back toward the infield. Ben Revere had to track it down as Freeman lumbered into third which a graciously scored triple.

Somehow, that gaffe ended up benefitting the Phils. After Justin De Fratus internationally walked Evan Gattis, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez pointlessly pinch-ran for his hottest hitter. De Fratus got Justin Upton to pop out to first, then struck out Chris Johnson to bail out Brown and leave Atlanta’s lineup gutted.

“We’re, what 5 1/2 games out.” said De Fratu, who spun and gave a primal scream after getting out of the jam. “Shoot, every game matters. I want to win ... I made some good pitches to Johnson and got excited about it.

“There was nothing routine about that (Brown misplay). It looks easy, but it’s not. Freeman did what he’s supposed to do and he hit a triple. I’m sure people want to make Brown the scapegoat, but there was nothing routine about that.”

Hamels, meanwhile, had been brilliant again. He extended his scoreless inning streak to 22 2/3 innings with seven strong frames. His ERA in four starts in June is 0.30, and despite having a 7.02 ERA after his first three starts this season, Hamels has dropped his ERA for the year to 2.78.

“The frame of mind I have is to eliminate runs on my end,” said Hamels, who has left his two starts with a grand total of one run from his offense. “You can’t affect the amount of runs our team scores unless I’m hitting home runs, which isn’t really going to happen. You just try to take it to the end and put up as many zeroes as you can.”

Antonio Bastardo got the win, working two scoreless innings after DeFratus and Mario Hollands kept the game from getting away.

“I think it’s just one of those years where it’s going to basically come down to who can make a good little run in divisional games,” Papelbon said. “I think tonight, despite me going out there and blowing the game, we really made a statement. I’m proud of the guys for picking me up. It’s good to see. It’s good to see that kind of coming around.”

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NOTES: The Phillies announced that right-hander Jonathan Pettibone, who has been shut down three times in the last 10 months because of shoulder issues, would have exploratory surgery on the shoulder Tuesday. The procedure, which will be done by Dr. James Andrews, is similar to the one Mike Adams had last summer and will end Pettibone’s season ... Third baseman Cody Asche (15-day disabled list, hamstring) had Monday off, but will play Tuesday and Wednesday for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. If all goes well his rehab assignment could end over the weekend ... Outfielder Aaron Altherr, called up from Reading to take Tony Gwynn Jr.’s place after the death of his father, arrived at the ballpark around 9:30 and walked into the dugout in the 10th inning. He made his big-league debut in the 12th as a pinch hitter and flew out to center.